In order for the wheel to turn, for life to be lived, impurities are needed, and the impurities of impurities in the soil, too, as is known, if it is to be fertile. Dissension, diversity, the grain of salt and mustard are needed… Primo Levi, The Periodic Table
The Center
Centro Primo Levi is a New York based organization inspired by the humanistic legacy of writer and chemist Primo Levi, who survived Auschwitz and Topics discussed in our public programs and academic seminars are disseminated through our online monthly Printed Matter and publishing endeavor, CPL Editions. The Center works closely with many Italian organizations, particularly with the Center for Contemporary Jewish Documentation in Milan and the Primo Levi International Research Center in Turin. Located at the Center for Jewish History in Manhattan, CPL operates under the auspices of the Consulate General of Italy and partners with universities in Italy, Israel and the U.S.
Support
Centro Primo Levi is committed to developing public programs, academic projects, and an international forum for Italian Judaism. Thanks to its cooperative infrastructure the center engages an extraordinary network of human resources and guarantees that most of its funding goes to creating programs and sustaining long-lasting endeavors such as publications, fellowships, digitization, and research. Your support will validate our accomplishments and ensure our ability to expand them. Contact us to learn more about our work and become a friend and a supporter of Centro Primo Levi.
Sharing the treasures of a tradition
Projects
The Center connects its audience to Italian Jewish institutions and electronic resources that provide access to text, sound and images located in libraries and archives The questions of History and Memory are at the center of our program series, with a focus on 20th century totalitarianism but spanning to other period of history through the exploration of minority life and perspectives in ancient and modern societies. Drawing on European and Mediterranean history, another project, Americordo documents the lives, debacles and achievements of Italian Jews who came to the U.S. fleeing Fascist persecution and re-examines minority lives in the context of emigration and American diversity. Primo Levi’s work and his quest on issues of justice, ethics, memory and coexistence inspire the Primo Levi Forum, a series of programs open to scholars, scientists, writers and artists. The center’s projects include “usable” resources for travelers, Jewish music lovers: J-Italy and the Italian Chazanut Roundtable.
Publishing
In nearly 20 years of activity, Centro Primo Levi New York has substantially contribute to expand the presence of Italian Jewish studies in the American academia, regularly publishing Printed Matter makes available every month English language articles, interviews and books, an interdisciplinary selection of academic news and a variety of cultural and scholarly resources in print. CPL Editions offers a selection of classic and new texts on Primo Levi and on Italian Jewish history, culture and tradition, that would not be available to English speaking readers through mainstream and academic publishing.
Board and Staff
The Board of directors of Centro Primo Levi oversees the pursuit of its mission, its financial and management operations and ensures the integrity of the center’s institutional ethics and practice. Andrew Viterbi, President Staff Centro Primo Levi’s staff works closely with advisors and scholars to ensure that the center’s programs, publications and online resources meet the highest standards of accuracy as well as a balanced perspective on topics of history, culture and ideas. Staff members and advisors strive to offer a broad view of latest research and innovative methods, while maintaining their commitment to recover and preserve treasures of the past. Natalia Indrimi, executive director Alessandro Cassin, deputy director and director of publishing Sofia Quaglia, program and publishing coordinator Molly Engelman, production coordinator Jonathan Wajskol designed the logo and image of all center’s material The center engages translators, editors and copyeditors for its publishing endeavors. CPL Editions is developed through a partnership with OR Books.
Jeffrey Keil, President
Stella Levi
Erna Viterbi z’l
Felice Ghilardi
Sarah Wolf Hallac
Isabelle Levy
Alessandro Di Rocco
Natalia Indrimi
Donate today
Our activities are supported by philanthropists and foundations that share our values and recognize the result of our work. You can participate in the endeavors of Centro Also inquire with our staff about supporting a full project or becoming a partner in one of our fields of interest. Thank you!
Publishing
Since the invention of the printing press, publishing and printing became a thriving field for Italian Jews. The first Hebrew book was published in Reggio Calabria in 1475, and until the 19th century, Italy remained a center of Jewish publishing in a world where books increasingly became the principal vehicle for the circulation of ideas, innovation and exchange in the Italian Jewish world. CPL Editions seeks to make available this wealth of writings, spanning early medieval rabbinical scholarship to contemporary astrophysics, philosophy and fiction.
Programs
The programs of Centro Primo Levi explore the diversity of the Italian Jewish experience and take inspiration from Primo Levi’s humanism and his quest to understand different aspects of the world we inhabit. Our events take place at different venues and address diverse audiences in New York City and the TriState region.
